Tent structure



R. A. WHALL TENT STRUCTURE Filed May 21 1923 2 sheets-shawl 1,512,962 R. A. WHALL TENT STRUCTURE Filed May 21 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Oct. 28, 1924,

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD A. WHALL, F ATH OIJ, MASSACHUSETTS.

TENT STRUCTURE.

Application filed May 21, 1923.

To. all w hom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD-A. WHALL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Athol, in; the county of \Vo 'cester and State 6 of liliassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tent Structures, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a tent structure of the marquee type adapted 10 to be. quickly and conveniently erected to form a stable and roomy compartmentyand to be readily knocked down and compactly folded.

The invention is embodied in theinn? proved structure which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

(If; the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificatioinfi Figures 1 and are perspective vlews, showing my improved tent structure erected for use. i

Figure 3 is a side. view, showing the center post, the main struts, and, the guys hereina-fter described, in side. elevation, the tent body being shown by dotted lines.

Figure i is a top plan view, showing the center post and the struts hereinafter de scribed, the wall portions of the tent body being shown by dotted lines,

Figure 5 is a side iew, showing part of one of th Wall. portions- 7 Figure 6 is a sec on on li e 6- 6 f Fig .1 5'

Figur 7 is a are 6= Figure, 8 is a on: 6-

Figure 9 is: sectional view, showing the center pest, the main struts, and the guys Operative-1y assembled. i

Figure 9 is a bottom plan vlew of a portion of one of the main struts, and a portion of one of the guys engaged therewith.

Figure 1Q'lS a section on line 10-40 of Figure: 9, and a plan view of the parts: be-- low said line.

Figure 11 shows in side elevation a por tion of the center post andthe supplemental struts hereinafter described, secured; thereto.

Figure 12 is a section on line lit -=12 of Figure 11.

section onv ine 7 o his se tien on line 8 8 of 5 s Seriall No. 640,392.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view, looking downward on the upper end of the center post and showing portions of the guys.

Figures 14:, 15 and 16 are, fragmentary sectional views showing separately and enlarged, parts shown by Figure, 9.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

My improved tent structure comprises a tent body of canvas, 01' other suitable fabric including four wall portions 17, a roof portion 18., and a bottom or floor portion 19, secured to the lower edges of the wall portions 17. Said portions are permanently connected, and the body is adapted to be set up or expanded from the partly collapsed condition shown by the inner dotted lines in Fi ure 3, to the expanded condition shown the outer dotted lines in the same figure.

The structure also comprises a center post adapted to be set up in an upright position, and preferably composed of sections 2.0, separably connected by sleeves 21, each sleeve being fixed to one section and proi c 'ng here r m, o o m a Socke d p e to receive an end portion of another section, as indicated, by Figures 14 and 15.

Th sec ion 2 wh f rms the pper n of the post, is provided with a coupling m m r adapted t engage n supp r complemental coupling members 23, fixed to s ruts 2 i ha in h comple ed tru re, adi e f ein. he rest as shown by Figure 4.? and engage the-ea ne s o medbrthe al rer ions '17; at the n er ec on of said portions with the roof portion 18; The strutst'z l are. preferably composed of sections separablyconnected by coupling sleeves 25, as shown by Figure 9. The coupling member 22 is preferably a metal annulus, surrounding the post and spaced therefrom by an inner annulus 26 which is narrower than the annulus 22, so that an, annular space or pocket 27 (Figure 14.) is provided to receive the members 23, which ar pre er b y ea s, form d. on sh n s 3% sc e e or bolted o the s ruts erecting h struc ure, th ten b dy is first an h re to the greunda i corners,

as by pins 28, engaged withthe corners and driven into the ground. The; center post s then inserted in the body, ts lower end bear- To support the outer ends of the struts 24 in their operative position, and also to support the roof portion, I provide four flexible guys 30, preferably of wire rigidly attached to the upper end of the post, as by staples 31 (Figure 13), driven through a clamping plate 32 into the upper end of the post. The guys are preferably composed of two wires or wire cords, crossing each other on the upper end of the post, and fixed to the latter by the staples, the length of the wires being such that each guy is adapted to extend from the post to the outer end of one of the struts 24. The guys are bent across the outer ends of the struts in notches 33, in said struts, and are extended inwardly 011 the under sides of the struts, the free ends of the guys being provided with loops 34 (Figure 9 separably engaged with outer coupling members or studs 35, secured to the outer ends of the struts. The guys constitute rafters, supporting the roof portion and preventing it from saggingdownward. K V The center post is preferably octagonal in cross section, its faces presenting flat bearings for the flat inner ends of the struts 24, so tlfat the struts are prevented from swinging loosely sidewise or horizontally.

It will now be seen that the structure may be quickly erected and constitutes a stable and roomy apartment.

One of the wall portions 17 is composed of two. sections, meeting and detachably con nected at 36 (Figure 1') to provide an entrance and exit. An awning piece or flap 37 may be secured at one end to the divided wall portion and supported by sectional posts 38 to form an awning. Another wall portion 17 may be provided with an opening 39 (Figures 5 and 6), protected by a hood composed of a central portion 40,joined at its upper end to the wall portion, and inclined outward so that its lower end is spaced from the wall portion, and triangular side portions 41, joined at their inner edges to the wall portion and detachably secured at their outer edges to the central portion 40 by suitable fasteners such as those employed in securing the side curtains of automobiles, and including rotary stud members 43 (Figures 6 and 7 The central portion "40 is provided. with stiff reinforcing pieces '44 to which the stud members are secured, and with a stiff reinforcing piece 45, extending across its lower end.

The end portions 41 are provided, with stiff reinforcing pieces46 at their lower ends. The several reinforcing pieces stiffen the hood and hold it open, so that air can pass through the hood and the opening 39 as indicated by the arrows in Figure 6.

Supplemental struts 47 may be provided to prevent the wall portions 17 from sagging or curving inward, between the points where they are supported by the struts 24, which may be called the main struts, to distinguish them from the supplemental struts.

As shown by Figures 4 and 1'0,the supp1e mental struts 47 alternate with the main struts, each supplemental strut being preferably a wooden rod bearing at itsinner end on the center post and at lts outer end on one of the wall portions 17 Theinner ends of the struts 47 are provided with transverse orifices 49. A cord 50 (Figure 12) is passed through said orifices and encircles the center post, its ends being tied together at 51. The inner ends of the struts 47 are spaced above the coupling member 22, and 7 above the inner ends of the main struts 24. The supplemental strut-s are held slightly inclined, so that their inner ends bind on the center post and are thereby prevented from slipping downward on the post.

The coupling members 23, on the inner ends of the struts 24, are called inner coupling members to distinguish them from the outer coupling members 35, which engage the free ends of the guys 30. 1

The wall portions 17 and the roof portion 18 collectively constitute a flexible cover having aplurality of side inembers'joined to form angular corners, and a roof portion having a central apex.

The annulus 22 surrounding and fixed as shown, to the post 20, constitutes an upwardly facing multiple coupling member surrounding the post below its upper end,

and adapted to separably support the. coupbe assembled, and the supporting means to be erected, within the said cover to erect the latter and support it in the predetermined form shown by Figures 1 and 2, and by the outer dotted lines in Figure 3. Owing to the fact that the outer ends of the struts 24 engage the corners of the cover, as indicated by Figure 4, the struts are. supported laterally by the cover when the latter" is anchored at its lower portion.

There is a direct cooperation between the anchoring means at 28, and the said supporting means, first, because the lower portion of the cover is held down by the anchoring means, while the upper portion is being erected by the supporting means, and secondly, because the cover, when erected, is enabled by the anchoring means to maintain the supporting means erected.

I claim:

1. A tent structure, comprising a flexible cover, including a body portion, having a plurality of side members joined to form angular corners, and a roof portion joined to the body portion and having a central apex; anchoring means at the lower ends of said corners; and supporting means composed of separable elements including a center post, formed to extend from a foundation to the apex of the roof portion, and provided with a fixed upwardly facing multiple coupling member, surrounding the post below its upper end, flexible guys fixed to the upper end of the post and adapted to radiate and extend downwardly therefrom to support the said roof portion with its apex raised, and struts adapted to radiate from the post and engage the upper ends of said angular corners, said struts being engaged at their outer end portions with said guys; and provided at their inner ends with coupling members, adapted to separably engage and be supported by said multiple coupling member, the arrangement being such that the said supporting means may be erected within the cover after the. latter is anchored at its corner portions, to erect the cover and cooperate with said anchoring means in confining the cover in a predetermined form, the said angular corners engaging the outer ends of the struts to prevent lateral swinging movements of the struts.

2. A tent structure, comprising a flexible cover, including a body portion, having a plurality of side members joined to form angular corners, and a roof portion joined to the. body portion and having a central apex; anchoring means at the lower ends of said corners; and supporting means composed of separable elements including a center post, formed to extend from a foundation to the apex of the roof portion, and provided with a fixed upwardly facing multiple coupling member, surrounding the post below its upper end, flexible guys fixed to the upper end of the post and adapted to radiate and extend downwardly therefrom to support the said roof portion with its apex raised, and struts adapted to radiate from the post and engage the upper ends of said angular corners, said struts being engaged at their outer end portions with said guys; and provided with inner coupling members adapted to separably engage and be supported by said multiple coupling member, and with outer coupling members adapted to separably engage the outer ends of said guys, so that the struts are separable, both from the center post and from the guys, the arrangement being such that the said supporting means may be erected within the cover after the latter is anchored at its corner portions, to erect the cover and cooperate with said anchoring means in confining the cover in a predetermined form, the said angular corners engaging the outer ends of the struts to prevent lateral swinging movements of the struts.

3. A tent structure. substantially as specified by claim 1, the said multiple coupling member being an annulus fixed to, surrounding, and spaced from the post, the coupling members on the said struts being ears adapted to enter the space between said annulus and the post.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

RICHARD A. lVHALL. 

